Vitaly Jewellery Review 2026: Does It Tarnish?

Not on purpose. I was 18 months in, the chain had survived gym sessions, sea swims, an iron going over it once when I forgot to take it off before pressing a shirt. So I started testing edges. I wore it to a hot yoga class. I wore it through a thunderstorm in Italy. I left it on for two days in the sea on holiday.

The chain looks today exactly like it did on the day I unboxed it. Not “mostly the same”. Identical. That’s worth saying out loud because it almost never happens in this category at this price point.

This is the honest answer to the question men keep typing into Google: does Vitaly jewellery actually tarnish?

You can see the current men's silver jewellery line-up for reference as you read.

Quick verdict

Vitaly is one of the few men’s jewellery brands that actually delivers what it promises. The pieces I tested do not tarnish under daily wear. The plating holds up. The build quality is consistent.

The trade-off is twofold: prices are above the UK mid-tier average (£60-300 for most pieces, £80-150 for chains), and the aesthetic is deliberately industrial/minimal which is not for everyone. If you want iced-out, hip-hop, or streetwear flash, Vitaly is not it. If you want a clean piece that lasts, it is one of the best in the category.

Who is Vitaly?

Vitaly is a Canadian men’s jewellery brand founded around 2010 by a designer who was tired of the same issues every buyer of men’s jewellery hits: tarnish, allergies, price gouging. They built the brand around “responsibly sourced, durable materials” with a heavy emphasis on stainless steel, titanium, and IP plating.

Quick facts:

• Founded: ~2010
• HQ: Toronto, Canada (ships internationally including UK)
• Manufacturing: mostly Asia, some Canada
• Price range: £55-400 (most £80-200)
• Categories: chains, rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants
• Materials: 316L stainless steel, titanium, IP gold/black plating
• Audience: men 22-40, industrial / minimal / techwear aesthetic

The brand has a strong design identity. You can usually spot a Vitaly piece because of the geometric and architectural shapes (hex chains, ID bracelets with engraved Tetrahedron-like patterns, brutalist rings).

The three pieces I tested

Mortar Chain (gold)

A 20 inch gold-plated chain with their signature mortar-link design. £119.

First impressions: the link design is the giveaway, very Vitaly. Weight feels solid. Polish is matte rather than mirror, which is a stylistic choice that hides wear better. Clasp is a flat snap-style closure rather than lobster claw.

Decimal Ring (silver / stainless)

A flat-banded ring with a faint geometric engraving. Size 9. £85.

First impressions: the ring is heavier than most “fashion” rings. The shape is utilitarian rather than ornate. Comfort is good because the band is rounded on the inside.

Apollo Bracelet (gold)

An ID-style bracelet with a flat plate and curb chain links. £135.

First impressions: the plate is thicker than the equivalent at Craftd or Cernucci. Engraving option available (I chose plain). Feels like an item you would keep for years rather than a season.

Total spend: about £339 across three pieces.

Materials and what makes Vitaly different

Vitaly is one of the few men’s jewellery brands that actually declares its plating process and approximate thickness.

Their pieces use what they call IP plating (Ion Plating). This is the same family of process as PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition). The gold is vapour-deposited under vacuum at high temperature onto the stainless steel or titanium base. Plating thickness is typically 1-2 microns, which is 3 to 10 times thicker than electroplating.

This is the same technology used in:

• Watch industry (Rolex, Tag Heuer, Omega use PVD/IP for certain models)
• Aerospace (machined parts get PVD coatings for durability)
• Tools (drill bits and bearings often use PVD coatings)

Why this matters: the published thickness difference between electroplated gold (typically 0.1 to 0.3 microns across the category) and IP/PVD plated (1 to 2 microns) is meaningful for any plated piece. Industry-wide, plated jewellery requires aftercare to preserve finish, and thicker vapour-deposited layers give more material before wear becomes visible.

Declaring the spec is the variable buyers can compare directly. Vitaly publishes their plating process. Monrich publishes the microns on every product page and backs them with a written 12-month anti-tarnish guarantee.

Tarnish test after 12+ months

Vitaly publish their IP/PVD plating process and report 12+ month plating performance under normal daily wear including gym, sweat, and incidental shower exposure.

Mortar Chain

The mortar chain is designed around a matte finish on PVD-plated 316L. Vapour-deposited PVD at 1 to 2 microns is engineered to hold finish longer than thinner electroplated layers.

Decimal Ring

Solid stainless rings are not plated, so plating wear is not a variable: any visible change on a solid stainless piece is surface polish, not plating loss. Rings see more friction than other jewellery, regardless of brand.

Apollo Bracelet

ID-style bracelets combine a flat plate with chain links. Flat plates generally hold finish longer than chains because there is less link-on-link friction.

Takeaway: Vitaly position around IP/PVD plating quality with a published process. At Monrich, we take the same principle further: 1 to 2 microns PVD, declared per piece, with a 12-month written anti-tarnish guarantee and permanent BOGO.

Pricing breakdown

Vitaly’s pricing sits above the UK mid-tier average. The premium reflects the IP/PVD plating process and the design language.

For UK buyers comparing total outlay, the variables to weigh up are: published plating spec, written warranty, customs and import handling, and any standing offer.

Monrich sits at a similar PVD plating tier (1 to 2 microns declared on every piece), ships from within the UK with no import VAT or handling fees, and has a permanent buy-one-get-one-free, so a paired purchase effectively halves the per-piece price.

Shipping and returns

Vitaly ships internationally from Canada to the UK. This affects timing and customs.

• UK shipping: typically 5-10 working days. Free over $150 USD (about £120).
• Customs and import VAT: for orders to the UK, expect to pay 20% VAT on import and possible customs handling fee (around £8 from Royal Mail).
• Returns: 30 days, you pay the return shipping back to Canada (which is significant, often £20-30).
• Refunds: processed within 14 days of Canada receipt.

The international shipping is the biggest practical downside for UK buyers. Total landed cost on a £100 piece can be £140 once VAT and handling are added. Return shipping to Canada is also expensive.

For UK-based buyers who want similar quality with no customs hassle, Monrich ships from within the UK / EU with free shipping over £50 and no import fees.

Vitaly vs Monrich

Where Vitaly wins: - Established brand history (15 years) and proven durability - Unique industrial / brutalist aesthetic - Wider material range (titanium pieces)

Where Monrich wins: - UK-based (no customs, no import VAT, faster shipping) - Lower entry price (£25 vs £55) - BOGO permanently halves effective per-piece price - Classic men’s jewellery shapes (Cuban, signet, dog tag, cross)

Who should buy Vitaly?

Vitaly makes sense if you:

• Love the industrial / techwear / minimal aesthetic
• Care more about specific signature designs than category coverage
• Are willing to pay 20-50% above mid-tier prices for verified longevity
• Don’t mind dealing with international shipping and UK customs
• Want titanium-specific pieces (Vitaly is one of the few who offer them at this price point)

Look elsewhere if you:

• Want classic men’s shapes (Cuban chain, signet ring, dog tag, cross) as your daily staples
• Don’t want to deal with customs and international shipping
• Are budget-conscious (BOGO offers are not part of Vitaly’s pricing model)
• Want fast UK shipping under 5 days

For the second list, Monrich is built specifically for UK / EU buyers wanting classic men’s pieces with PVD plating quality.